Ever since I was born I’ve had trouble with my feet. When I was born my feet were turned in so far that my toes were almost touching my legs. This is called Clubfeet, and lucky me I get to deal with it forever. I know that it sucks to have crappy feet. When I was just 2 weeks old, I got my 1st set of casts. The doctors said that they would help my feet to go straight again. I had casts on and off for my first few months of life. My parents have told me that I would find a way to kick off the casts because I didn’t like them. Surgery is a big part of having Clubfeet. I had my first surgery when I was 5 years old. It was a tendon transfer, so they moved around the tendons in my foot. I still remember getting pushed into the Operating Room and screaming because I didn’t want to have surgery. After I got my casts off I had to wear these braces on my feet that went all the way up to my knees. People would stare and point, it was uncomfortable.
Lucky me, I got to have another surgery when I was 8. This time they did a bone transfer. They literally added someone else's bone into my feet. Then they stuck pins in to keep the bone in place. It is terrible not being able to walk because your stuck in a wheelchair with 2 broken feet. When they took the pins out of my feet, it was so painful. Also, when they took the pins out they had to pull out my stitches. They told me that the stitches were going to dissolve, nope. They got imbedded into my skin. I know how painful it is to have stitches imbedded into your skin.
When you have Clubfeet you can’t play certain sports. For instance I used to love playing basketball when I was around the age of 10. One day I went to the doctor and he told me if I continued to play my knee caps were going to come off of my knees. Yes, Clubfeet doesn’t only mess up your feet, it also messes up your knees and hips too. Luckily, I can play softball, the sport i love. I’ve been playing since I was about 5.
This past May I had surgery yet again! This time, they cut my heel bone in half. It was the most painful thing ever. They had to do this surgery because every time I walked my foot would turn out and it hurt. Before they gave me anesthesia they put a shot behind my knee to numb my leg from the knee down. It was a huge shot, and it hurt when they gave it to me. After surgery I know have 13 scars combined on my feet. Luckily it doesn't hurt to walk like it used to! Thank God! Obviously, it still sometimes hurts to walk, but never like before the surgery. Living with crappy feet makes little thing like getting up in the morning and walking down stairs hard. Every morning when I first wake up I limp for the first 40 minutes. The joints in my ankles hurt just that much. I also know how to deal with not being able to run as much as I might like.
Overall, living with crappy feet sucks, but it’s what I know. I’ve never known any other way of life. I guess it’s pretty cool having lots of stories to tell, because most people have no idea what I’ve gone through.
When I was just 2 weeks old, I got my 1st set of casts. The doctors said that they would help my feet to go straight again. I had casts on and off for my first few months of life. My parents have told me that I would find a way to kick off the casts because I didn’t like them.
Surgery is a big part of having Clubfeet. I had my first surgery when I was 5 years old. It was a tendon transfer, so they moved around the tendons in my foot. I still remember getting pushed into the Operating Room and screaming because I didn’t want to have surgery. After I got my casts off I had to wear these braces on my feet that went all the way up to my knees. People would stare and point, it was uncomfortable.
Lucky me, I got to have another surgery when I was 8. This time they did a bone transfer. They literally added someone else's bone into my feet. Then they stuck pins in to keep the bone in place. It is terrible not being able to walk because your stuck in a wheelchair with 2 broken feet. When they took the pins out of my feet, it was so painful. Also, when they took the pins out they had to pull out my stitches. They told me that the stitches were going to dissolve, nope. They got imbedded into my skin. I know how painful it is to have stitches imbedded into your skin.
When you have Clubfeet you can’t play certain sports. For instance I used to love playing basketball when I was around the age of 10. One day I went to the doctor and he told me if I continued to play my knee caps were going to come off of my knees. Yes, Clubfeet doesn’t only mess up your feet, it also messes up your knees and hips too. Luckily, I can play softball, the sport i love. I’ve been playing since I was about 5.
This past May I had surgery yet again! This time, they cut my heel bone in half. It was the most painful thing ever. They had to do this surgery because every time I walked my foot would turn out and it hurt. Before they gave me anesthesia they put a shot behind my knee to numb my leg from the knee down. It was a huge shot, and it hurt when they gave it to me. After surgery I know have 13 scars combined on my feet. Luckily it doesn't hurt to walk like it used to! Thank God! Obviously, it still sometimes hurts to walk, but never like before the surgery. Living with crappy feet makes little thing like getting up in the morning and walking down stairs hard. Every morning when I first wake up I limp for the first 40 minutes. The joints in my ankles hurt just that much. I also know how to deal with not being able to run as much as I might like.
Overall, living with crappy feet sucks, but it’s what I know. I’ve never known any other way of life. I guess it’s pretty cool having lots of stories to tell, because most people have no idea what I’ve gone through.